Defense Secretary Esper on Trump church photo op: 'I didn't know where I was going'

[Arkansas Granny]

Defense Secretary Mark Esper says he was given no notice before President Donald Trump led him and other senior administration officials to St. John's Episcopal Church for a widely criticized photo opportunity.

"I thought I was going to do two things: to see some damage and to talk to the troops," Esper said Tuesday night in an exclusive interview with NBC News.

Esper said he believed they were going to observe the vandalized bathroom in Lafayette Square.

"I didn't know where I was going," Esper said. "I wanted to see how much damage actually happened."

https://www.nbcnews.com/news/amp/ncna1222391?__twitter_impression=true

He seriously thought they were going to see a vandalized bathroom? Why in the hell would the President take a walk to see a vandalized bathroom? That has to be one of the weakest excuses I've ever heard.

[42bambi]

1. Yes, weak, weak and did I say weak. nt

[Docreed2003]

2. Such absolute HORSESHIT

There's no way he had no clue what was up, zero. This dude is so full of shit his breath smells like an outhouse.

[Cattledog]

3. Esper sounds like a real Kevin.

[aquamarina]

4. This guy is in charge

Of our military? Frightening.

[lame54]

5. The bathroom is one of Trump's favorite places

[Arkansas Granny]

7. Well, there is that, of course.

[renate]

6. "Why would the President take a walk to see a vandalized bathroom?"

That either Esper or Trump tried to use that as an excuse is both and

[DeminPennswoods]

8. Another roach scurrying for cover

after the photo op disaster.

[Cattledog]

9. Thought he was going on a field trip to a burned toilet.

[Arkansas Granny]

13. I can hear it now. "Round up the National Guard and the Secret Service.

Alert the press and make sure the cameras are rolling. Mike and I are going to take a little stroll to look at a burned out shitter. Oh, and someone be sure to grab a Bible."

[ClearSky24]

17. LOL

[Cha]

10. & that's why Under Sec of Defense, James N Miller resigned..

Link to tweet

[Nevilledog]

11. "I didn't know where I was going" I have a feeling he says that a lot.

[sop]

12. Trump announced at the very end of his Rose Garden address at the WH on Monday:

"Thank you very much, and now I'm going to pay my respects to a very, very special place. Thank you very much."

At that point, the cops fired tear gas into the crowd, they cleared the area around the church, then Trump and his entourage of sycophants walked across the street to the church so he could have his photo-op. It was all planned. It was not a visit to see a "very, very special" damaged bathroom.

[bottomofthehill]

14. Stand up guy

[Blue Owl]

15. He was the victim of the victim

n/t

[UTUSN]

16. All purpose excuse, also works for when he joined into working for SHITLER!1

[diva77]

18. Is he related to Pence?

[StarfishSaver]

19. This is pure CYA crap

Cabinet secretaries have crack scheduling and advance teams who carefully plan every step the boss takes outside of the building. They don't make a move without detailed schedules and full knowledge of where they're going, what they're doing and why. Even when they go somewhere with the president, their advance teams are plugged into every detail.

As I said, this is pure crap